How the return of Arrested Development on Netflix impacts the future of television

Netflix recently announced that the popular show "Arrested Development," which was cancelled by Fox, will return as a Netflix exclusive. Beyond the implications for fans of this impeccably written show, the return of "AD" to the tube tells us much about the future of television in an Internet age.

 

Netflix and the Future of Television

 

Streaming and torrenting are increasingly popular ways of watching television. As part of the generational divide between old media and new, younger people often prefer to download shows than watch them on broadcast television. This is doubly true when it comes to pay channels like HBO or Showtime. Pirated television presents the same challenges to broadcast television that pirated music does to the recording industry. Not only does it rob the companies of revenue, it is not an easy practice to crack down on.

 

Netflix, however, is angling itself as the Spotify of television. While it lacks the massive catalog and industry support of the music giant, it does offer an impressive number of films for a low price. Netflix recently gained significant bad publicity when it raised rates and cut streaming users off from hard copies of DVDs. Bringing back a show like "Arrested Development" might be just the thing for Netflix to win back the good graces of the viewing public.

 

Streaming Video and Original Content

 

Original content on steaming sites isn’t new. Comedy sites like Funny or Die and Cracked have made an entire business model out of short bursts of comedy going viral. Hulu and Crackle are both streaming sites with original content. However, none of this original content has caught fire with the public. Whether the quality is off or people just aren’t interested in an unknown quantity is hard to say. However, Netflix might be blazing a new trail in the world of original streaming content: reviving your favorite shows.

 

A Brief History of Television Revival

 

TV revival is nothing new. Gumby, Get Smart and Gunsmoke are all early examples of television shows revived after cancellation. However, there have been a spate of television revivals over the last few years. Fox’s cartoon casualties Futurama and Family Guy both saw life after death, though the former had to switch networks. These revivals were largely bolstered by DVD sales. Firefly is another example of a show that performed dismally on television, but racked up impressive DVD sales. DVD might provide a means for testing which shows will enjoy revival on Netflix and similar services in the future.

 

First Run Streaming

 

There’s likely a sea change coming in terms of first-run streaming shows. Why it took Arrested Development and Netflix so long to find each other is anyone’s guess. However, the adoption of the previously cancelled show by the largest direct-to-home streaming service on the market provides a model for the future of television. Rather than trying to produce quick, cheap television series, streaming services would do better to concentrate on making a few outstanding gems.

 

Much in the same way that cable television has become the gold standard for television drama (Mad Men won the Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Television Series three years in a row, when it was finally bested by Boardwalk Empire, another cable show. The former series is currently on a four-year winning stream for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys), so could streaming sites blaze new trails in this regard as well. Indeed, the format might become the home for edgier, more challenging material, giving it a permanent home before the networks have time to cancel it in the first place.